An equity-based multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) helps school teams engage all students across the full range of learning needs. MTSS ensures that the vision of equity for every student is achieved, with high expectations and quality instruction, while not straining a school’s budget or personnel.

Amy McCart and Dawn Miller seek to transform education so that it benefits educators, students, their families, and ultimately the communities in which they live. The authors do this by providing tools and methods to implement equity-based MTSS to improve academic, behavior and social outcomes for all students. This strategy-filled book teaches you how to•Engage all students in learning through an equity-based approach •Analyze and utilize your resources•Apply strengths- and evidence-based principles for implementation•Incorporate effective tools to systematize MTSS

Authentic examples across multiple grade levels and subjects contextualize the proven method presented in this book. The authors draw on their experience as SWIFT Education Center professional developers to guide you into creating an MTSS tailored to be effective for your student body.

Foreword by Wayne Sailor

Preface

Introduction: Equipping You for the Journey to Effective MTSS

What Do We Mean by Equity-Based MTSS?

Constructing Your MTSS

What is Your Analogy for Equity-Based MTSS?

Why Do You (Yes, You) Want to Do MTSS?

How to “Do” MTSS in Your School

Chapter 1: Foundations of MTSS

A Foundational Framework for Teaching and Learning

Foundational Transformation in Action Practices

Your Local Resources Are Foundational Too

What Is Resource Mapping and Why Do It?

How to Do Resource Mapping

Chapter 2: Structuring Your MTSS

What is a Tiered Instruction Matrix and Why Do It?

How to Create a Tiered Instruction Matrix

Matrix Part 1: Universal Support

Matrix Part 2: Universal Screening

Matrix Part 3: Instruction and Support

Matrix Part 4: Progress Monitoring

Chapter 3: Engineering Your MTSS

Revisit What and Why

How to Do a MTSS Master Schedule

Chapter 4: Making It Your Own MTSS

Resource Matching

Data Routines

Organizing Your Data

Processing Your Data

Acting On Your Data

Continuously Improving Your MTSS

Conclusion: Equity-based MTSS—A Reality!

References

Appendix: Blank Forms

"Amy McCart and Dawn Miller lay out a multi-system of schoolwide support that will transform our educational systems. Their vision, backed withresearch, provides a new mindset and framework so that we can reach our goal of fully educating each and every student within our resources."

Leading Equity-Based MTSS for All Students

Holly Leach, Superintendent

Northshore Christian Academy, WA

"Leading Equity-Based MTSS for All Students does an excellent job of presenting guidance that is not only relevant, but also very focused and practical.Written in a user-friendly manner, it encourages and promotes teams to engage in educating and helping all students, providing a clear model of how to initiate a dialogue about equity and incorporate MTSS into schools."

Debbee Garcia, Middle School Principal

Secrist Middle School, AZ

"The implementation of MTSS seems daunting to many, but this book is a valuable resource that will demystify and empower staff to engage in the development process. By using clear examples of districts and schools that implemented MTSS in a cost-effective manner, the authors provide a great service to the reader and the educational community."

Dr. Chris Hubbuch, Director of Secondary Education

St. Joseph School District, MO

"The authors provide clear steps that a school may take to implement MTSS with an equity focus, along with with tools that can be used to keep students in a classroom with a general education curriculum.The result is a guide that is both practical and useful."

Ronda Mitchell, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education

University of Illinois at Springfield

"This book provides tools to ease a burden that plagues many schools with large numbers of students needing services while having limited resources. This is especially beneficial to guide schools through the inventory and planning process of implementing MTSS, which can seem like an insurmountable task when numbers are large."

Charlotte LaHaye, Curriculum Coordinator

Schools of the Sacred Heart, LA

" Leading Equity-Based MTSS for All Students provides clear guidance to school leaders for the creation of a solid Multi-Tiered System of Support that meets the needs of all students. The conversational tone makes it easy to read, and it contains immediately actionable steps for schools to take. Whether a team needs to refine their existing system or create one from the ground up, this book has it covered."

Shelby West, Instructional Coach and Intervention Lead Teacher

Lucia Mar Unified School District, CA

"Leading Equity-Based MTSS for All Students provides practical, realistic guidance to school districts that do not already have an MTSS plan in place. It provides critical tools that can be used to engineer the MTSS process system in any school."

Leading Equity-Based MTSS for All Students

Leading Equity-Based MTSS for All Students

Melissa Pardue, Lead Teacher

Pascagoula-Gautier School District, MS

"Leading Equity-Based MTSS for All Studentsprovides a missing gap in the MTSS field. By exploring the 'how' and 'who' of implementation, the authors provide useful guidance for administration and teachers/leaders seeking to implement and strengthen MTSS in their schools."

Sherry Annee, High School Science Teacher

Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, IN

"While other books and thinking in the field are based more on a medical model of labeling students and working with them separately from the rest of the students, Amy McCart and Dawn Miller's book is strength-based, equity-based, and includes all students.It uses practical assessments and tools to guide the development and implementation of MTSS."